We recently connected with Mary Gerlitz and have shared our conversation below.
Mary, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I did not know what “imposter syndrome” meant when I first heard this question, but once I looked it up I realized this is something I am constantly struggling with. Especially with the world of Interior Design being so subjective. While I get better at “overcoming” it daily, I think it is something that many of us will struggle with… forever. I know that I have talent. I know I can deliver a beautiful end project. And this is why people hire me- they see my finished products and say “I want that.” But how do I hold the faith that I’m good at what I do, when the client starts questioning? Especially when we are so wired to be polite and validate other peoples opinions? How do you forcefully say “I’m right. Let me do my job” or just plain “no” ? How do you collaborate with them, but also hold firm that they hired YOU for a reason? I really feel the common saying, “fake it until you make it” holds true here (and I don’t mean fake your talent- hopefully that’s locked and loaded). I mean fake the confidence. Fake your authority, Because in the end if you can stand firm and hold true to what you know in your gut is right- your talent will shine. I’ve learned with time, that I am able to deliver the best product when a client completely trusts me. I listen to what they want, and then I deliver it in a beautiful way. If I allow a client to constantly overpower me, it is more likely neither of us will be as happy with the finished product. Having enough confidence to firmly tell a client “trust me” is worth everything.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I got a degree in Interior Design over 25 years ago! when the economy crashed in the early 2000’s I slowly moved away from design as a way of making a living and eventually became an RN and a busy mother of two. Of course my love for design never dissipated and I have always kept a pulse on this world. Studying, researching, doing things for friends and family- and becoming very good at DIY. When COVID hit, I became so burned out as a nurse, that after much persuasion from an amazing group of supportive women and family around me, I decided to pull back to part time nursing and push myself back into the world of design -and actually began to charge money for my work. I love to do high end looking DIYs on a budget that elevate a space, as well as work on larger budget projects which really give me the freedom to use true craftsmen and artists who are able to uniquely tailor spaces. I thrive on being hands on, getting dirty, and coming up with creative, budget friendly solutions.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1) my willingness to get in there and get dirty and do it myself. A lot of designers just know how to direct- they aren’t involved in how the individual trade artists do their work. But when you really get involved and learn how to do the individual crafts like tile and woodworking etc – it gives you a whole new insight on detail- and the details are what matter. The details are what elevate the space. 2) my willingness to let go of weaknesses, and be ok with that. The computer graphics part of the industry has changed 10 fold since I last practiced design 20+ years ago. Computers are NOT my strong point. I had to let go of trying to achieve all of that. I learned how to draft the old fashioned way, and guess what- I’m still good at it- and that’s what my clients get. If they want something fancy on a computer- I’m not their gal, and that’s ok.
3) my willingness to study and research which goes hand in hand with my overall passion for what I do. Because i love design so much, it’s part of who I am- which means even when I wasn’t doing design professionally, I ALWAYS knew what was up and coming, what was yesterdays news, and what was timeless.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
The women/fellow mothers in my life who surround me have been essential to the building of my business. They are the ones who encouraged me to go for it, who trusted me to work in their homes and give me a chance, who talked me up to other moms at school and rallied to find me clients, and who mentored me as fellow business owners or designers. It’s always surprising to me how generous people are with their time and knowledge – all you have to do is ask.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ladderandbloom
Image Credits
jmark photography
